I wrote this a while ago and it's been clogging up my desktop just sitting there unpublished. So what better time to post it than now?
I adore Jane Austen. Her novels are well written and capture both her historical time and great love stories. But tonight at work, after watching Sense and Sensibility (Alan Rickman as Colonol Brandon....YUM) and Pride and Prejudice (Keira Knightley version, far less amazing as 5.5 hr BBC version), there are few things that stuck out.
People in the era travel around frequently and it was common practice to visit famously wealthy houses. I understand wanting to see big estates. But I find it odd going to visit houses not to see the family but also to see the house when the family is not there. Now, my house is not a grand estate but it would be like someone coming to visit my house while I was on vacation or at work. Does anyone else find that oddly unsettling? I would never allow people to visit my house while I was gone unless I trusted them and allowed them entry for a specific reason. But Lizzy and her Aunt and Uncle visit several estates including Pemberly (*sigh*). But all of a sudden she's shocked when she runs into Darcy. Ok, I understand their history is what makes the greeting awkward, but wouldn't you be shocked if you visited anyone's house and they suddenly showed up? I mean really, the audicity of them to be at their house when they were supposed to be away. I just find the notion of visiting someone's house while they aren't even there to be very vexing, to use Mrs. Bennet's favorite phrase.
One thing I wondered and would love to direct the question specifically to Jane if she was around is what is her issue with the letter "w"? Seriously, in both S&S and P&P (also alliteration), the two villainous (though not purely evil, not good of character) characters have last names starting with a w. Did Austen have a grudge against someone with a w in their last name because I want to know. Add that to the list of fantasy dinner questions.
Oh and also, there are so many people that appear in S&S that have also been in Harry Potter. HP characters include Madame Pomfrey, Trelawny, Snape, Fudge, Fat Lady (1st movie), and Umbridge. There might be more but I lack the capability of checking at the moment.
Another great thing since regency is the advancement of medicine. The idea that blood letting was such an amazing way to fix someone who was sick.....uh, no. Really glad that isn't common practice anymore. Though I am interested in how they got rid of the blood back then. One of those random things I think about sometimes. Does anyone else want to learn a quadrille with me?
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